For decades, the property now known as Trailborn Highlands stood quietly atop a ridge, just steps from downtown, yet wrapped in forest.
Once a beloved lodge and restaurant, it gradually fell into decline — a bit worn down, sometimes forgotten, eventually abandoned.
That could have been the end of the story, but when the team behind Trailborn discovered it, they saw something worth saving. They gave the property a full-scale renovation, preserving its mountain soul while layering in smart design, local artistry, and modern comforts.
Today, Trailborn Highlands feels refreshingly new but deeply rooted, like it’s always belonged here.
I visited at January’s end just after a snowstorm had blanketed the grounds, turning the 4.5-acre property into a textbook winter scene.
Rhododendrons bent under frost, the lily pond was edged with ice, and the fire pit stood unused — but the setting was still spectacular. I walked the property, imagining spring blooms returning to the garden, and stood at the ridge line, where the land falls away into the trees. Inside I sought refuge in the Nordic spa’s sauna, a warm haven. It struck me how close this place came to being lost altogether.
The renovation deserves applause. The design feels rooted in this landscape with forest greens, deep maroons and soft golds echoing the Blue Ridge outside. The lobby, completely reimagined, now houses a small market filled with locally made goods.
Guest rooms blend clean, modern design with a sense of place — custom quilts stitched with Blue Ridge-inspired patterns, local pottery and artwork, and a color palette lifted straight from the forest floor. Even the amenities felt intentional: Parachute robes, Fellow kettles, Tivoli radios, and Grown Alchemist bath products — no afterthoughts, just thoughtful hospitality at every turn.
Best of all? The staff. They know Highlands in a way only local can – they know not just its scenic highlights, but the lesser-known trails, the tucked-away views, the stories only locals tell and the places they visit.
When I asked about a winter hike, they didn’t hand me a brochure; they asked what I was hoping to find and sent me somewhere I wouldn’t have found on my own. They clued me into which shops were open, which galleries worth a visit and even gave me the heads up on Trailborn’s newly launched Artist in Residence program, where rotating artists will not only create onsite but teach workshops for guests and locals.
Thanks to owners Mike Weiss and Ben Weinberg, Trailborn Highlands stands as a vision of what a hotel can be. A forgotten property resuscitated, not as a generic hotel but as a gathering place.
From its design and amenities to its partnerships with local artists and guides, every element celebrates the outdoors, respects the property’s history, and gives guests a true sense of what makes Highlands special.
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